A Proud Moment on ITV News

One of our students, Uzair, was featured on ITV News for his extraordinary community work with the St Albans Community Pantry (SACP).

As SACP’s very first volunteer, Uzair has been pivotal in helping build and grow the charity over the past six years. Dedicating almost every evening and weekend to helping local families, his continuous dedication and deep empathy for others embody the very best of our school values.

SACP Founder Raihaanah Ahmed has praised Uzair’s commitment, noting how proud she is of the compassion he consistently shows toward the community.

Check out the full ITV News clip to see Uzair in action here ITV News Broadcast.

Huge congratulations to Uzair on this well-deserved recognition.

Have Your Say - Proposed 20mph Speed Limits in St Albans

Hertfordshire County Council is currently holding a public consultation regarding proposed additional 20mph speed limits across several residential areas in St Albans, and they are actively seeking feedback from local school families.The consultation aims to assess community views on extending the 20mph network to improve road safety, cut traffic noise, and make walking and cycling to school safer and more accessible. Proposed areas include:

• Marshalswick
• Jersey Farm
• Highfield
• Russett Drive & Longacres
• Verulam Estate

As school communities are directly impacted by local traffic and travel conditions, parent and carer feedback is particularly valuable.

Visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/20mph to view the plans and share your views.

The deadline for consultation closes on Sunday 4 October 2026.

Annual Staff Tug of War Battle 

The ultimate test of strength and team spirit takes place right after school today.

Our staff teams will be going head-to-head in the legendary Staff Tug of War.

Who can dig in, and who's getting dragged - tune in next week to find out which House takes home the coveted title, and collects a whopping 400 House Points for their team.

The pressure is well and truly on!

The Puzzle of the Month is a Mathematics challenge run monthly now. This months puzzle is shown above. For every entry you will receive 1 house point, if you answer correctly you will win 2 house points and if you are the fastest person to answer the puzzle correctly then you will win 5 house points!  To enter, simply follow the link on your House Google Classroom (it will be posted on Monday at 8.a.m.) to fill out the Google Form. 

Good luck! Why not play at home and see who is the quickest to get the answer (unfortunately we can only accept answers from students).

Home Language Exams 2027

Every year we enter a number of students for a home language GCSE or A level exam. For example, if you speak Polish at home, you might be interested in doing the GCSE.

If you would be interested in completing a GCSE in your home language, please email into reception for the attention of Ms Baikie and Ms Bowman (Exams).

Students are only able to do the GCSE exam in Year 10 or Year 11, we do not enter younger students.

The deadline for expressing interest is Friday 9th October for entry in the Summer 2027 exams. No applications will be accepted after this.

Spotted at Reception: Meet Mable

You might notice a very special staff member spending a lot more time at the front of the school!

Mable, our wonderful school therapy dog, is currently hanging out in Mr. Nicholls’ new office right next to Main Reception.

She is incredibly friendly and absolutely loves a quick hello and a gentle stroke, so do feel free to pause and say hi when you’re passing by - it's very hard not to!

FO$S Spotlight - Making a Difference Together

The Friends of Sandringham School (FO$S) team works hard behind the scenes to enrich school life. Through pre-loved uniform sales, the Yr 7 Welcome BBQ, Christmas Fairs, and social nights, our brilliant and supportive community comes together to raise vital funds for our students.

Where Your Support Goes - recent fundraising has directly funded:

• SEND Hub: Furnishings for a calm, sensory-friendly student space.
• Clubs & Activities: Mahjong sets, STEM games, speed cubes, and a 'Stage in a Box'.
• Campus Facilities: Contributions toward an electric minibus, an artificial cricket strip, and Main Hall audio-visual & lighting upgrades.
• Curriculum & Inclusion: Food Technology equipment and Year 13 Prom tickets for disadvantaged students.

Sustainability & Connection - beyond fundraising, FO$S champions sustainability through affordable uniform sales and helps families connect across all year groups.

Many Hands Make Light Work - getting involved doesn't have to be a big commitment. We’re always looking for extra hands, and roles, events, and tasks can easily be shared between friends or pairs of parents to keep things fun and manageable. Whether you'd like to co-run an event, take on a shared committee role (such as Chair, Secretary, or Treasurer as some of our long-standing members prepare to step down), or simply lend 30 minutes on the day to serve drinks or run a stall - every bit of help makes a huge difference.

To get involved please email friendsofsandringhamschool@gmail.com

Other funding support - does your organisation offer support or matchfunding schemes such as Benevity? Please do let us know by emailing Admin@sandringham.aetrust.uk

Hemel Storm Basketball Returns 

A quick update for all keen basketball players - Hemel Storm Basketball community sessions have officially restarted this week.

Whether you're looking to develop your skills or try a new sport, please check the attached poster for full details on session dates, times, and age groups.

Find Your Voice with the National Youth Choir 

The National Youth Choir auditions are being held this September - the booking window will run from midday on Wednesday 9th September to 10.00am on 30th September.

This is a great opportunity for more experienced singers. See below for more information from the NYO, and follow the link here to learn more and to sign up

'Each autumn, we look for new singers aged 9-18 to join our National Choirs. These choirs meet for residential singing courses in the school holidays. If you’re passionate about singing and want to develop your musical skills, perform a wide range of music and make new friends, we’d love to meet you!'

Running with the Mob

On Tuesday this week, over 100 energetic Yr 7 students took to the field for this year’s Mob Race.

The turnout was fantastic, with Shakespeare House taking the overall win for the most students involved - bagging a massive 200 points for their House.

Special mention goes to Pearl S who secured an incredible 1st place in the girls' race, with Grace H hot on her heels in 4th, and on the boys' side, we saw brilliant top 15 finishes in 10th and 15th place.

A brilliant start for our new Sandringham Yr 7 athletes.

Dancing Through Life...

Dance clubs are back and it's great seeing our dance family back in the studio, along with lots of new faces! 

2 out of 3 company auditions complete; Miss Davies and Miss Willmott loved dancing with everyone and watching their hard work in the auditions. Company members for SYCD and TripleEdge will be released soon, and a reminder that Tuxedo auditions for our hip hop company (open to Y7-13) are Monday 14th September at 5.30-7.30pm. 

HOUSE POINTS

It's all change in the top 3 this week, with Elgar storming ahead to an early lead... let the race begin!

1. Elgar 813
2. Newton 695
3. Hepworth 652

Special mentions this week:  

• D Bhardwaj & H Reynolds (7J) - (26) –Highest leading students
• I Eliasu (8H)- 22 - Highest scoring Year 8
• N Scales (9F) - 13 - Highest scoring year 9
• N Parmer (10E) - 14- Highest scoring year 10
• J E-Calvo (11F) 13 - Highest scoring Year 11
• G Moore (12E) & F Barker (12HE) - 5 - Highest scoring Sixth Former

Open Mornings - A Warm Welcome

Our first two Open Mornings ran incredibly smoothly - A huge thank you to the staff and student guides who showcased the school with such care and professionalism, and to Mr Nicholls for welcoming prospective families as Acting Headteacher following Mr Gray's departure.

We look forward to welcoming our remaining prospective families across three more sessions next week:

• Monday 14th September 
• Wednesday 16th September 
• Thursday 17th September 

STEM Club is Off to a Flying Start

Yr 7 STEM Club kicked off this Tuesday after school in I2, but there is still plenty of time to join in on the action.

Get ready to ignite your imagination and unleash your inner inventor every Tuesday as we dive into hands-on projects, including:

• Building and launching mini-rockets
• Constructing amazing bridges from spaghetti 
• Programming your own video games 
• Solving real-world puzzles with cool tech 

Whether you're a curious chemist, a budding engineer, or just love figuring out how things work, STEM Club is the place to be.

Come learn new skills, make friends, and have a blast.

Sign up on SOCS to join us next Tuesday.

We’re Hiring!

Come and be part of our fantastic team here at Sandringham. We’re currently looking for:

- Careers Advisor
- Careers Co-ordinator

If you, or anyone you know would like to be part of our passionate and dedicated team, please visit the website here for more information and to apply.

Celebrating Excellence - Headteacher’s Commendations

Friday mornings always start on a high note, and today was no exception as Mr Nicholls presented a round of Headteacher’s Commendations.

These prestigious awards are not given out lightly, they are for students who demonstrate exceptional effort, dedication, and high-quality work over a sustained period of time. 

Congratulations to all of the hard working students recognised this morning - keep setting the standard and leading by example across our school community.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

​​A boy suffering from amnesia finds himself in an encampment surrounded by wall where half robot creatures hunt the people that live there.

When the doors of the lift crank open, the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he's not alone. He's surrounded by boys who welcome him to the Glade - a walled encampment at the centre of a bizarre and terrible stone maze. Like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they came to be there - or what's happened to the world outside.

This week's review by Mia S, Yr 7.     

This book was one of my all-time favourite books ever!  It was so thrilling and mysterious but also exciting! If I could give a copy of this book to everyone and give them an opportunity to read it, I'm sure they would love it!

French: nonchalant

German: lässig

Spanish: tranquilo/a

Thinking Question: Why might English include a lot of French words? How do you think languages evolve?

N is for Nonchalant (adjective)

Definition: Feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm

Example: She tried to appear nonchalant about the exam results.

Synonyms:  Casual, unconcerned, indifferent, relaxed

Antonyms: Anxious, concerned, worried

Etymology: From French 'nonchalant' (not being concerned), from 'non-' (not) + 'chaloir' (to be concerned)

A great day at Ipswich School's Invitational Pre Season Tournament for our U19 Netball Performance Squad. Everyone played at an exceptionally high level, culminating in a 2nd Place finish, only losing to a strong Epsom College throughout the day.

Players Player - Ella C-L.

Coaches Player - Chloe R

Both outstanding in defence, so congratulations girls.

Year 10 Boys

The first football fixture of the season ends in victory in the County Cup. From 1 down to 2-1 up and then 2-2, Sandringham beat Chauncy on penalties.

Akhtar & Schmidt score whilst Novotny makes a pen save. Some good football played with lots of positives and plenty to work on. Promising season ahead for these boys.

Limitless Academy of Performing Arts

After 2025's smash-hit, Sweeney Todd, Limitless Productions returns to St Albans with something a little more sweet!

Step into a world of pure imagination with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Musical - a dazzling stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved classic.

When young Charlie Bucket wins a golden ticket to the mysterious Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, he embarks on a fantastical journey filled with astonishing inventions, mischievous competitors, and life-changing lessons. Bursting with catchy songs, colourful characters, and magical surprises, this heartwarming musical celebrates imagination, kindness, and the joy of dreaming big—perfect fun for audiences of all ages. 

This amateur production is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International. All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MTI: www.mtishows.com.

Tickets are available on the Sandpit Theatre website